All I can share is that as a young man (< 30 ) just starting to find interest in GTs, it's disappointing to browse overpriced Ebay and Craigslist posts. I think I got a pretty fair deal for a complete, running, decent condition Ford, but 90% of what I see online is individual parts going for hundreds. As many have stated, it's frustrating for newcomers to get excited about tractors if it will end up costing an arm and a leg just to restore a single tractor.

Before I started a new Bush Hog Yahoo group a few years ago, there was little interest in this brand. It took a couple years to get interest rekindled, then GTtalk came along, and GTT helped to literally launch Bush Hog GT collecting. Especially when Scott (sacsr) got into them, as he did a LOT of research, and can find a Bush Hog anywhere! Most Bush Hogs are still affordable, but the asking prices sure have come up. I think of it as a good thing, as many might have gone to the scrap steel yards if interest in them hadn't risen.

Now there are many Hog collectors right here. Myself, Brian, Scott, Titus, and several more have quite a few each of these great old tractors. I myself see higher prices as somewhat of a "protector" of parts & machines. If tractors & their parts bring more than they can in scrap prices, then it's a definite plus.

This post may get me banned but what the heck, my theory is you have to be doing something when you die or leave.

I have been buying and selling small engine parts and services since 1984 when I was still in the Army and was assigned duty as an active duty advisor to the Michigan National Guard. I started the process because during the prior 10 years I had worked 12 to 20 hour days six or seven days a week and needed something to do to fill in the open time. When I retired from the Army in 1989 I opened a full time small engine service and repair shop and closed it last April because the state of Michigan needed more paperwork and taxes than I was willing to provide.

I said all of that to say this; to me it is a business plain and simple. I did it to supplement my income while working as a golf course equipment manager. I raised six children doing so. No one was willing to pay my bills; provide me with a garage, electricity and heat for the garage and money to support my purchasing new machines along with the tools and equipment to work on them. I did it on my own. I paid the provider of those items what they asked or in most case demanded.

I have a couple of dozen LTs and GTs sitting around all bought and paid for by me. Only three of them are not for sale; my two JD140H3s and my George Workbird. Other than them everything else has a price that is set by me and if someone wants to meet that price it can be theirs. If the price is more than the prospective buyer is willing to pay, it will remain mine.

This is called capitalism. This nation was founded on capitalism and except for the past few years it has worked out pretty well. I think I will stick with it until this country no longer has enough citizens willing to fight the socialists and communists.

Bill I think you and businesses like you are as important part of the GT market as the collector. Guy's like you have kept them running for years, the average person has no interest in fixing their lawnmower. They would rather pay someone to fix it, or once it breaks down outside of their skills/mechanical ability, they either junk it or give it way. The market needs all kinds of avenues to keep them running and to offer alternatives to buyers who can not afford higher priced new tractors, etc.

I love capitalism! To keep my wife happy (discloser: she has never said anything about all my hobbies or what I spend in them) and me feeling like I can not spend all this effort and money running around buying and investigating about BH, without generating some money. I sell parts (sold and collected about $280 this week) and other items to help offset the cost. Partly, I like the game of buying and selling just as much as I like the collecting and tinkering. At this point, my skills are not good enough to fix and sell, I am better at buying and parting.

I've actually started using the fan base to support my hobby with the sears tractors.

4yrs ago I open a facebook page for sears garden tractors.

Up until 2 years ago I had under 100 members. In two years I'm up to 800 members and groing 2-3 a day!

I use the facebook page to promote the website I have that has manuals, pictures, old magazines, etc. Everything sears...

I put google ads on the website to help pay for it. I usually make enough to cover the hosting of it. Allthough there are other costs I'm not completely out of pocket for this.

My YouTube! I'm a partner. My videos have google ads on them, I make $100+ a year. Some of my videos like "how to clean a chainsaw" for winter storage went viral in the repair video world. Hitting 30,000 views this year. It's posted on numerous chains saw forums and was even for a short time promoted by Poulan.

Unfortunately I am losing interest. I work 50-60hrs a week, I'm kayo g for a house, a truck, etc... I just don't have the time to tinker usually. I for sure don't have the energy. I'm tempted to hire a guy to clear my driveway again. For the price that I paid to have him come out every other snowfall was cheaper then buying fuel for the tractors, maintenance, repairs, and most of all my time. Time that I wouldnt be at work, or looking for more work.

These last couple weeks I've actually cut back at work so I could spend some time relaxing with my dog and tractors.

It's gotten ridiculous what it costs to keep up a hobby. But I will pay what I have to so I stay half ways sane and out of the asylum.